The Bruins family lost a beloved alum in Russia’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl tragedy, a plane crash that took the lives of roughly 40 passengers and crew members — mostly members of the KHL team — shortly after takeoff on Wednesday.

Defenseman Brad McCrimmon, who played with the B’s from 1979-82, was the head coach of that team and was on that flight. He was 52.

McCrimmon played alongside Ray Bourque on the Black and Gold blue line and his best year in Boston came during the 1980-81 season when he scored 11 goals, assisted on 18 others and came away with a career-high 148 penalty minutes.

McCrimmon later went on to play for the Flyers, Flames, Red Wings, Whalers and Coyotes, competing against B’s legend and current team president, Cam Neely, who released a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

“On behalf of the Bruins organization I would like to express our deepest condolences to all the families and friends who lost loved ones [Wednesday],” Neely said. “I would like to express our sorrow to the McCrimmon family who lost a husband and father. Brad will always be a part of the Bruins family and will live on in all of our memories.”